Chapter 5: Political Parties
Honors Classes, Sept. 15, 2016
Democrats v. Republicans
According to Dave Barry
“The Democrats seem to be basically nicer people, but
they have demonstrated time and again that they have the
management skills of celery. They’re the kind of people
who’d stop to help you change a flat, but would somehow
manage to set your car on fire. I would be reluctant to
entrust them with a Cuisinart, let alone the economy.
“The Republicans, on the other hand, would know how to
fix your tire, but they wouldn’t bother to stop because they’d
want to be on time for Ugly Pants Night at the country
club.”
Why an elephant and a donkey?
The donkey (for the
Democrats):
The donkey was first
associated with Democrat
Andrew Jackson's 1828
presidential campaign. His
opponents called him a
jackass, and Jackson
decided to use the image of
the strong-willed animal on
his campaign posters. Later,
cartoonist Thomas Nast
used the Democratic donkey
in newspaper cartoons and
made the symbol famous.
Why elephants and donkeys (cont.)
The elephant for the GOP:
In a cartoon that appeared
in Harper's Weekly in 1874,
Nast drew a donkey
clothed in lion's skin,
scaring away all the
animals at the zoo. One of
those animals, the
elephant, was labeled “The
Republican Vote.” That's all
it took for the elephant to
become associated with
the Republican Party.
Before I forget…
… we will have the first of many debates during the
discussion of this chapter.
• The first debate will be on Monday, and will be on the
following topic:
Resolved: The two-party system is making
America ungovernable.
• I’ll need four people to volunteer (don’t worry;
everybody will get a chance before the semester is
out).
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Debate rules:
• 2-on-2
• Each team gets to make a 5-minute argument.
• At the end of both speeches, there will be a 2-minute “clash”
where you both get to ask each other questions.
• The class then will have a chance to ask questions of either side
• The class then will vote on the merits of your arguments.
• This will be worth 20 points, with points awarded as follows:
–
–
–
–
10 points for logical, well-ordered arguments
10 points for effective use of evidence
If you win you get 2 bonus points (so you could get 22 out of 20).
Winners will be determined by the Oxford Style of debate scoring
(which I’ll tell you about).
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Back to the chapter.
What is a “political party”?
Your book offers two definitions:
• It’s a “group of persons who seek to control government
through the winning of elections and the holding of public
office.”
• Or: “A group of persons, joined together on the basis of
certain common principles, who seek to control government
in order to secure the adoption of certain public policies and
programs.”
• Common elements: a group of people who want to control
gov’t.
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What do political parties do? 5 things.
1. Nominate candidates.
– Your book says that the main function of parties is
to name a candidate for public office.
– Hmm…. Yes, the parties recruit, develop, etc.
candidates, and the parties used to hand-pick
candidates (and still do to a certain extent).
– But today it is the VOTERS who select the party’s
nominee in a series of primaries.
– So, yes, parties play a role in the nomination of
candidates, but it ultimately is “the people’s”
decision.
Role of parties (cont.)
2. Inform and activate supporters.
– Mobile Republican Party site: http://mobilegop.com
– Mobile Democratic Party site: http://
www.mobiledems.org
– Other parties as well; check out Project Vote Smart
site (http://votesmart.org/politicalparties#.VA21t0voZz8)
– But again, the role of the parties here is waning.
When was the last time you visited these sites?
Role of parties (cont.)
3. Act as a “bonding agent” – ensure good
performance of the politicians by selecting good
people to begin with and holding them accountable.
– But note the increased role of alternatives, like
factcheck.org, Snopes, and PolitiFact.
– Interest groups also do this. See, e.g., League of
Conservation Voters “scorecard” (http://
scorecard.lcv.org)
Role of parties (cont.)
4. Participate in governing.
– Leaders in Congress selected along party lines.
Many decisions made based on partisanship.
– Parties also provide channels of communication for
all 3 branches.
• President will work with the leadership of both parties
on issues, enlist their help in communicating with
others.
Role of parties (cont.)
5. Act as a watchdog, particularly if you’re in the
minority.
– Can force the majority to tack to the middle.
– See following excerpt from Mitch McConnell interview with
the National Journal (10/23/10):
• McConnell: The single most important thing we want to achieve is
for President Obama to be a one-term president.
• NJ: Does that mean endless, or at least frequent, confrontation
with the president?
• McConnell: If President Obama does a Clintonian backflip, if he’s
willing to meet us halfway on some of the biggest issues, it’s not
inappropriate for us to do business with him.
What does your Owner’s Manual say about
parties?
• Nada. The U.S. Constitution does not
mention political parties.
• George Washington, John Adams, and others
warned of partisan politics (see next slide).
Warnings
Washington’s farewell address:
“The alternate domination of one
faction over another, sharpened by
the spirit of revenge, natural to party
dissension, which in different ages
and countries has perpetrated the
most horrid enormities, is itself a
frightful despotism. But this leads at
length to a more formal and
permanent despotism. The disorders
and miseries which result gradually
incline the minds of men to seek
security and repose in the absolute
power of an individual; and sooner or
later the chief of some prevailing
faction, more able or more fortunate
than his competitors, turns this
disposition to the purposes of his own
elevation, on the ruins of public
liberty.”
But we have them and always have.
• First Party System (1800-1860)
• Began with Democratic-Republicans vs.
Federalists
– Jefferson (D-R) defeats Adams (F) (see
electoral map, next slide)
– There was a peaceful transition of
power, which ain't nothin’.
Election of 1800
In first half of 19th century…
…the Ds won 13 of 15 presidential elections.
• Ds were led by Jackson; a coalition of the little guys.
Jackson ushered in 3 big changes:
– Voting rights for all white males; property ownership
requirements are eliminated
– Huge increase in number of elected offices
– Spread of the spoils system
• Political participation became a mass phenomenon.
Grew from 365k in 1824 to 2mm in 1840.
The Rise of the Republicans
• Impending Civil War split both parties. Clay died, taking
the Whig Party with him. The Ds split along north/south
lines.
• Rs successfully courted northern Ds and former Whigs.
R Party founded in 1854. Honest Abe their first
president.
No:
Yes:
(sort of)
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Election of 1860
1860 - 1932
Rs won 14 of 18 presidential elections.
– Rs supported by b’ness, farmers, laborers,
freed slaves.
– Ds had a “solid south” but could elect only
one prez – Grover Cleveland, in 1884 and
again in 1892.
The Democrats Return:
Election of 1932
1932-1968
• FDR wins 4 times
• People’s attitudes towards the gov’t start to
change
• New electoral base for Ds: south, small
farmers, blacks, unions (among others)
• Since 1968, Rs have won 7 of 10
presidential elections
We’re kinda divided now.
• Take a look at this: http://www.
270towin.com
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Given these splits should we create two
(or more) countries?
• Sample of efforts underway: http://
www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/09/12/
secession-fever-sweeps-texas-marylandcolorado-and-california.html
• Obama Administration response: https://
petitions.whitehouse.gov/response/ourstates-remain-united
Nah. Instead, we have a two-party
system.
• First, what do we mean by a “two-party
system”?
• We mean two major parties (the
Democrats and Republicans).
• There are lots of minor parties, but the Rs
and Ds dominate.
Party Membership Patterns
• Membership is voluntary.
– In some states you have be a registered
member of a party to vote in that party’s
primary.
– Not so in Alabama.
• The parties try to cast broad nets.
• Thus, both parties have a lot of diversity,
although there are some leanings.
Ds v. Rs
Some generalizations
If you are —
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
a woman
black
a resident of a big city
highly educated (like, Ph.D)
a union member
Californian or New Yorker
a Jew
young
poor
liberal
then it is likelier than not that you vote Democratic.
27
Ds v. Rs (cont.)
If you are —
• a farmer
• a business person
• white
• male
• older
• rich
• Protestant
• Southern
• conservative
then it is likelier than not you vote Republican.
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Why just two main parties?
Well, this takes us to…
…our first in-class debate:
Resolved: The two-party system is
making America ungovernable.
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Why just 2 parties?
• Tradition.
• Once established, it is self-perpetuating. We
have it b/c we have it.
• The American ideological consensus.
• Many think we are basically homogenous in a
pluralistic society. In other words, we have a lot
more issues that unite us than divide us.
Why just 2 parties (cont.)
• The Electoral System. Lots of things in it make 2
inevitable.
– Single-member districts, i.e., districts where only one winner,
based on plurality of votes. This discourages minor party
candidates, b/c they’re perceived as wasted votes.
– Much of electoral law is stacked a/g minor parties. Ex:
– winner-take-all Electoral College system (in 48 states)
– ballot access (in AL, need signatures of 3% of people who
voted for governor in last election — thus, around 45,000
people WHO VOTED, which means a lot more signatures
required).
– Getting in a national debate (upcoming debate: you need 15%
support in 5 national polls + qualified in enough states to win 270
EC votes)
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Some Pros of 2-party system
• It tends to have a moderating and stabilizing
influence on politics.
• To get elected, you need to cater to a wide
range of views.
• Tends to clarify the issues.
• Since there are only two major parties we are
assured of having a majority government in the
executive and legislative branches.
• This (theoretically, at least) leads to a more
stable government with fewer shifting alliances.
Some cons of the 2-party system
• It is difficult for third parties to elect officials to public
office.
• The Republicans and Democrats have an effective
monopoly on electing officials, so meaningful dissent
and new points of view are lost.
• Party members and officials are at times accused of
being overly partisan.
• They may put the interest of their party ahead of the
interest of the nation.
• To succeed in Congress, you must play ball with the
party leaders.
Unrelated to this chapter…
…but related to the next:
We’ll have two debates next week, .
Resolved: No person should be allowed to vote unless
he or she has passed a civics test that is prepared by
the state in which the person seeks to vote. (Monday)
Resolved: The new Alabama Voter ID law was needed
to address voter fraud. (Tuesday)
Any takers?
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Back to Ch. 5:
How do we form our political affiliations?
• Family most important. Children most frequently
adopt the views of their parents.
• Major events (see Civil War, Depression).
• Economic status (the wealthier you are, the
likelier it is that you’re a Republican (with
exceptions, of course)).
Are there minor parties?
• Yup. See http://www.politics1.com/
parties.htm
• Why are they created? 4 possibilities.
1. Ideological parties. Based on a set of
beliefs. Often built around Marxist ideas,
although some at the other end of the
spectrum, too. Long-lived, short on votes.
Ex: The Libertarian Party.
Minor parties (cont.)
2. Single-issue parties. Focused on…
wait for it…
a single issue. Most fade into sunset,
either b/c goal is achieved or interest
wanes. Or they’re just plain nuts.
Ex:
Minor parties (cont.)
3. Economic protest parties. No clear
ideological bent. Just mad at someone – fat-cat
bankers, foreigners, etc. They disappear when
happy times return.
Example: Ross Perot and his Reform Party
Minor parties (cont.)
4. Splinter parties. Usually formed around a
strong personality and thus fade when the “great
man” dies. Examples:
TR’s Bull Moose Party
Wallace’s American
Independent Party in 1968
Do Third Parties Matter?
Yes, for several reasons.
• Can change the logistics. See, e.g., Anti-Masons and
their first-ever party nominating convention.
• Can be important voices as critics and innovators.
• They are unencumbered by the risk of winning and
thus can speak their minds.
• If they are on to something, their ideas often get coopted by the Ds and Rs.
• Can be a spoiler. Think Ralph Nader in FL in 2000, TR in
1912.
Nader’s impact in 2000
Third-Party Success (or lack thereof)
Third-Party and Independent Presidential Candidates
Receiving 5 Percent or More of Popular Vote since 1900
CANDIDATE
Ross Perot
Ross Perot
John Anderson
Geo. Wallace
Rob’t LaFollette
T. Roosevelt
Eugene Debs
PARTY
Reform Party Independent
Independent
American Ind.
Progressive
Bull Moose
Socialist
YEAR
1996
1992
1980
1968
1924
1912
1912
% OF POP VOTE
8.5
18.9
6.6
13.5
16.6
27.4
6.0
ELECTORAL VOTE
0
0
0
46
13
88
0
So what impact do you think…
…Gary Johnson or Jill Stein will have this
year?
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Party Organization
• Both parties are highly decentralized.
– No chain of command from RNC and DNC to the
states and cities.
– The main thing that flows back and forth is money.
• Why decentralization?
– In part, federalism; lots of gov’ts in the U.S. The
parties as decentralized as the gov’ts.
– In part, the national parties have very few ways to
enforce discipline.
3 Parts to the National Party Machines
1. The national convention.
– Used to be meaningful.
•
We’ve had brokered conventions, leading to lots of floor votes (like, 103 of them
in 1924).
•
Last one in 1952 (Adlai Stevenson)
– Main purpose: to nominate a presidential candidate for the general
election.
– Largely a big party now (in the celebration sense).
•
Parties hate public spats.
•
Want to project one big happy family and build momentum for gen’l election.
“In their current form, conventions are exercises in collective
vanity, an excuse for the party’s settled nominee — who has
already garnered enough delegates to make his competitors
drop out — to get media exposure and some prime face-time
with party big-wigs.” The American Prospect
Conventions also vote on party “platforms.” Here are
some simplified examples.
DEMOCRATS
REPUBLICANS
Minimum wages; tax increases on
upper-class
Wages based on free market; no tax
increases
Support Roe v. Wade; pro-choice
Overturn Roe v. Wade; pro-life
Decrease defense spending; make
military more efficient
Defense and security a priority; increase
defense spending
Support equality and affirmative action Against racial quotas
programs
Favor gun control
Favor gun rights
Against the Patriot Act based on
restrictions of civil liberties
Favor security measures of the Patriot Act
Preserve welfare programs; oppose
privatization of social security
Privatize social security; reduce government
welfare programs
Support environmental regulations
Reduce government regulation of energybased industries
Expand national health care coverage Health care controlled by industries
How conventions are supposed
to work…
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=YfAcyBzyek4&index=1&list=PL3D7A01
1A4E2A72D0
• … and how they sometimes don’t: https://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8BwqzzqcDs
47
National Conventions (cont.)
• The National Committee sets the time and
place of the party’s convention (the challenger
always goes first)
• It tells each state how many delegates it gets.
• This is one of the few sticks the parties
have.
• It explains why states allow Iowa to have the
first caucus and NH the first primary.
3 Parts to Nat’l Party Machines (cont.)
2. The National Committee and National Chairman
– Reince Priebus head of the RNC; Debbie Wasserman Shultz head of the DNC.
– These folks represent the parties in the media, raise money, plan the conventions,
etc.
– Money is huge. In 2012:
• DNC: $319mm
• RNC: $404mm
Reince Priebus, explaining yet again how to
pronounce his name
Debbie Wasserman-Schulz (left) and Donna
Brazille; only one of them is happy.
3 Parts to Nat’l Party Machines (cont.)
3. The Congressional Campaign Committees
– Hugely important in Congress. Each chamber
has a D and an R Congressional Campaign
Committee.
– They raise lots of money (like $328 mm for the
Ds and $270 mm for the Rs during the 2012
elections)*
– They use this money to help candidates from
their party.
*Source: https://www.opensecrets.org/parties/index.php?cmte=&cycle=2012
The President’s role
• The President is always the
head of his (her?) party.
– Has greatest access to
the media (sometimes
called the “bully pulpit”)
– Controls appointments
– Sets policy agenda for
the executive branch, etc.
The Future of Parties
We still have them, but they’re getting
weaker.
1. Fewer people identify themselves as
D or R. (See next two slides.)
More independents now…
53
…maybe b/c of this:
54
The Future of Parties (cont.)
2. Less reliance on parties for money.
– The rise of the “Super Pac” has made candidates less
beholden to parties.
– Last presidential race: $828 million raised by Super
PACs. Source: https://www.opensecrets.org/outsidespending/summ.php?
cycle=2012&chrt=V&disp=O&type=S
– Who knows how much in 2016? Projections are that the
presidential race could cost $5 billion. Source: http://thehill.com/blogs/
ballot-box/presidential-races/230318-the-5-billion-campaign
– That’s billion.
– With a “b”.
But note: recent increase in limits on giving
to parties may restore some of their power.
56
The Future of Parties (cont.)
3. Changes in technology.
– No longer need the parties to get the
message out.
– Internet the great equalizer.
So…
…what are your thoughts now about the twoparty system?
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